Barcelona opened its Asian headquarters in Hong Kong in May with an eye to adding commercial partners, and officials hinted that the club's footballers "could soon visit the city," according to the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. Barcelona VP Javier Faus said that "the Spanish giants would not be put off by a dismal attendance" at the recent game between the Hong Kong national team and an Argentina side featuring Barcelona player Lionel Messi. Faus: "[Next] year we'll definitely do a tour, and probably will be in Asia. And maybe [InvestHK] will help to have a game here." InvestHK, the government body promoting inward investment, "helped attract Barca's Asian headquarters." Faus: "When we sign a contract with a local partner, they take care of the stadium, ticketing and television rights. We come for a fee to the places that we go, and the local partner is in charge of everything else." Barca is "following in the footsteps" of ManU. ManU opened its Asian headquarters in Hong Kong in '12. Barcelona Asia-Pacific Managing Dir Xavier Asensi said that "the expansion had borne fruit since the office opened." Since revealing its int'l expansion plans last year, the club "has secured new commercial partnerships, including a first partnership in mainland China, with retail giant Suning" (SCMP, 10/26).
